John Wallace made a memorable, game-winning 3 against Georgia in overtime in the '96 tourney. Who made the game-tying buzzer-beater in regulation?

A. Todd Burgan

B. Marius Janulis

C. Jason Cipolla

D. Donovan McNabb

Wallace's perfect in-bounds heave from midcourt found Cipolla waiting in the corner. He squared up, knocked down the shot and fell to the floor as the Syracuse bench erupted around him. The Sweet 16 classic is among the most memorable games in Syracuse basketball history.

AP photo

Question #4

Which two star players helped Boeheim earn NCAA berths in each of his four seasons?

A. Rudy Hackett & Dennis DuVal

B. Rafael Addison & Pearl Washington

C. Louie Orr & Roosevelt Bouie

D. Dale Shackleford & James Williams

Roosevelt Bouie puts up a shot against Fordham in 1978.AP photo

Answer #4

Which two star players helped Boeheim earn NCAA berths in each of his four seasons?

A. Rudy Hackett & Dennis DuVal

B. Rafael Addison & Pearl Washington

C. Louie Orr & Roosevelt Bouie

D. Dale Shackleford & James Williams

The "Louie & Bouie Show", as they were called, helped Boeheim begin his career with a 100-18 record in his first four seasons. The team was dominant at home, but never did advance far in the tournament, posting a 3-4 record. Bouie (1,560) and Orr (1,487) are 18th and 26th on the Orange's all-time scoring list.

It's a moment that makes Orange fans cringe. With the game tied at 59 and less than a minute to play, Dion Waiters tossed an errant inbounds pass, forcing Jardine to chase it down and step on the half-court line. The refs whistled him for a backcourt violation, Marquette nailed a three-pointer and never trailed again. Officials later acknowledged that the call was made in error.

AP photo

Question #6

Which player has the highest tournament scoring average in Syracuse history?

A. Carmelo Anthony

B. John Wallace

C. Hakim Warrick

D. Lawrence Moten

Lawrence Moten, pictured with his signature knee-highs during a game against Arkansas in 1995.

Answer #6

Which player has the highest tournament scoring average in Syracuse history?

A. Carmelo Anthony

B. John Wallace

C. Hakim Warrick

D. Lawrence Moten

The Orange's career scoring leader (2,334 points) also boasts the best average in the tourney at 23.3 points per game in seven games between 1991 and 1995.

AP photo

Question #7

Who missed the front end of a 1-and-1 before Keith Smart's famous shot to win the 1987 championship?

Who missed the front end of a 1-and-1 before Keith Smart's famous shot to win the 1987 championship?

A. Sherman Douglas

B. Derrick Coleman

C. Howard Triche

D. Rony Seikaly

Coleman grabbed a Syracuse tournament record 19 boards in that game, but couldn't get it done at the foul line in the final seconds. The rest, as everyone knows, is history.

AP photo

Question #8

How many times has Syracuse missed the NCAA tournament under Boeheim?

A. 5

B. 6

C. 7

D. 8

Erich Santifer lies on the court in Madison Square Garden after Tulsa defeated Syracuse for the NIT Championship in 1981.AP photo

Answer #8

How many times has Syracuse missed the NCAA tournament under Boeheim?

A. 5

B. 6

C. 7

D. 8

Syracuse has missed the NCAA tournament seven times since 1977. In six of those years, the Orange played in the NIT, but never won it. In 1993, the team did not play in any postseason tournament due to NCAA recruiting violations.

AP photo

Question #9

After their amazing Big East Championship run in 2006, which team knocked the Orange out of the tourney in the first round?

After their amazing Big East Championship run in 2006, which team knocked the Orange out of the tourney in the first round?

A. Texas A&M

B. Vermont

C. Oklahoma

D. Kentucky

Syracuse, led by Mr. Clutch Gerry McNamara, stormed through the Big East tournament as the No. 9 seed and came into the NCAA tournament red-hot ... or dead tired. The No. 5 Orange fell to the No. 12 Aggies in the first round, 66-58.

AP photo

Question #10

G-Mac's school tournament record 43 points came against which team in 2004?

A. Maryland

B. BYU

C. Pacific

D. Colorado

Gerry McNamara fires a three against BYU's Mike Hall.AP photo

Answer #10

G-Mac's school tournament record 43 points came against which team in 2004?

A. Maryland

B. BYU

C. Pacific

D. Colorado

McNamara was unstoppable, nailing a record 9 three-pointers in No. 5 Syracuse's narrow, first-round win (80-75) over the Cougars. He fell four points shy of tying Bill Smith's school record of 47 points, set against Lafayette in 1971.

D&C Sports

Jeff DiVeronica, Staff writer
9:46 a.m. EDT March 20, 2014

Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins speaks during a news conference at the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Wednesday in Buffalo.(Photo: Nick LoVerde, AP)

Story Highlights

SU point guard Tyler Ennis and his brother, Villanova, are both playing in Buffalo

The Orange have good succes in the NCAAs when they play near home

Villanova's Jay Wright got his coaching start at the University of Rochester in 1984

BUFFALO – Count Western Michigan coach Steve Hawkins as a big fan of Javon McCrea, the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year for the University at Buffalo.

"Boy, I'd love to have him going into this game (against Syracuse), I know that," said Hawkins, whose 14th-seeded Broncos (23-9) play the No. 3 Orange in their NCAA Tournament opener Thursday at approximately 2:45 p.m. at First Niagara Center.

"He's just a beast, an absolute beast, one of my favorite players, a big, strong physical kid and he just loves to play basketball. You could tell."

The 6-foot-7, 250-pound McCrea hoped to lead UB to the Big Dance, but the third-seeded Bulls (19-10) were upset by No. 6 Eastern Michigan, coached by former SU assistant Rob Murphy, in last week's MAC Tournament quarterfinals, 69-64. McCrea was held to seven points but had 13 rebounds.

McCrea is a former Newark High basketball star.

"I'm glad we don't have to play him again," Hawkins said of McCrea, the former All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year who ended his UB career as its all-time leading scorer (2,004 points) and with 988 rebounds.

Ennis family reunion: With Syracuse and Villanova both in Buffalo, the family of SU freshman point guard Tyler Ennis didn't have to make a decision where to go. Ennis' brother, Dylan, is a sophomore guard for the second-seeded Wildcats. They play No. 15 Milwaukee at 9:25 p.m. Thursday at First Niagara Center.

"To get the whole family out (here), it's a great experience," Tyler said. "To have both me and my brother playing in the same gym, the chances were slim."

The Ennis boys didn't grow up far from Buffalo in suburban Toronto. Last week, their father, Tony McIntyre, went to Greensboro, N.C., to watch Tyler in the ACC Tournament and their mother, Suzette Ennis McIntyre, went to New York City to see Villanova in the Big East Tournament.

Both trips were short, as SU lost its first game to N.C. State and 'Nova was upset by Seton Hall.

Photos: Syracuse, Western Michigan practice Wednesday

Syracuse guard Trevor Cooney shoots during practice before the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament at First Niagara Center in Buffalo. Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

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Chicken wings and Jay Wright: Villanova coach Jay Wright, 52, started his career as an assistant at the University of Rochester from 1984-86, and whenever he's back in western New York he loves to eat chicken wings and occasionally he'll mention garbage plates, a Rochester favorite.

"I loved living up here. I love the wings. The Distillery in Rochester or Anchor Bar in Buffalo, my favorites, but there's a lot of great spots," Wright said at the podium between Wednesday's practices. "Jeff Van Gundy was playing at Nazareth (College) when I was here and John Beilein was coaching at LeMoyne.

"It was a great time. I have a lot of good coaching friends from up here."

He mentioned one, former longtime UR coach Mike Neer, who is now at Hobart after a storied career with UR. "Still one of the brightest minds in the game," Wright said. "We were just talking … how big Division III basketball is up here in upstate New York. I think it's bigger than anywhere in the county."

Thanks, Mom! Western Michigan point guard David Brown, a redshirt senior, missed one season with a torn ACL and half of last year, his junior season, after an MCL tear in the same knee, his right one. He said his mother, Pam, was the person who helped him through the tough times during rehab.

"She kept me going. She gave me faith," said last year's Mid-American Conference Sixth Man of the Year who led the league in scoring this season. "I'd look at myself and say, 'I've got to do this for her.' "

Empire State of mind: SU is 8-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played in its home state. The only loss came in 1986 and it was actually at the Carrier Dome, 97-85, in the second round. Future NBA great David Robinson dominated the Orangemen in Pearl Washington's final game with SU. The 7-foot junior had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 9 blocks. He made 21 of 27 free throws.

Since then, SU had opening-weekend sweeps in Syracuse (1987) and Buffalo (2010) and East Regional wins in Albany (2003).

Tip-ins: Syracuse is 25-5 in NCAA openers in Boeheim's 37 seasons. He has led 17 teams to the Sweet 16, including three in the last four years. … This is the first NCAA berth for Western Michigan coach Steve Hawkins since his first season in 2004. The Broncos were an 11 seed that year and led No. 6 Vanderbilt by three points at halftime before losing their opener, 71-58. … Who says Buffalo isn't a college basketball town? There's a rotating billboard high above Route I-90 urging fans to vote for Syracuse's C.J. Fair and Tyler Ennis for the Wooden Award. … Wright said he spent an hour talking with Boeheim and their wives in the hotel lobby on Tuesday night talking about "Requiem for the Big East," the ESPN documentary on the history of the Big East Conference that aired for the first time on Sunday night.

JDIVERON@DemocratandChronicle.com

Twitter.com/RocDevo

Video: Previewing the weekend in Buffalo

Jeff DiVeronica talks with WGRZ-TV in Buffalo, the site of Syracuse's first game against Western Michigan.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim has been coaching basketball for quite a while and, like all coaches, he's never been afraid to share his opinions with the officials. This was his 31st appearance in the NCAA tournament. He holds a 53-30 career record, has been to the Final Four four times, and has won one national championship (2003).

At left is Jim Boeheim on March 4, 1977 during his first year as head coach. At right is Boeheim during a game during the 2013-14 season against Boston College. (AP photos)